Five-a-side football gaining in popularity

Organised football as we all know has been extended to an offshoot termed 'Futsal', an addenda to UEFA's list of competitions since 1996 when the first continental tournament on a national-team basis was staged in Spain.

A year later, championship status was established for Futsal and the UEFA European Futsal Championship came into being.

Basically the rules of the game are familiar with many football followers, only that Futsal, normally played in a 40m x 20m indoor pitch, has five players in each team.

Rules pertaining to handball, basketball and waterpolo, somehow find their way in this game.

Different concepts in terms of time-keeping, time-outs, substitutions and duties of officials give Futsal a different texture from normal football in the way a match is controlled.

Here, the game is naturally played within the jurisdiction of the Malta FA. The section is under the responsibility of vice-president John Farrugia, with Mario Gauci taking on the responsibilities of secretary.

Futsal is in its fifth season in Malta, the first official match having been played in 1999. The national leagues, are composed of three divisions, two sections in the first, two in the second and three in the third, with each section made up of six teams.

Malta currently has two referees on the FIFA Futsal panel, both of whom have been given recent recognition.

They are Konrad Borg, also on the panel of the World Body as a football assistant referee, and Ian Miller, a new name on the MFRA list of officials.

Standings (as up to January 30)

Division One (A): El Mundos 14; Vindaloo 11; St Helen 9; Swing Kids 7; Amazon Pago 6; Dreamers 1.

Division One (B): RBSM 11; Air Malta 10; Head Hunters 6; King of Shaves 4; Liverpool SC 3; Alta Care 0.

Division Two (A): Hibernians 15; Zurrieq 13; Scandals 11; Juvenis 6; Korol 4; Deportivo SC 2.

Division Two (B): Debsons 15; Chempro 12; Zurrieq Old Boys 11; Seven 10; Blurred Minds 5; Central Bank 1.

Division Three (A): Southenders 15; Konica 13; KM PHS 12; Lazio SC 7; Noutim 1; Warriors 1.

Division Three (B): Jeepers 18; Argentina Ole 13; Union Press 9; Foxhounds 7; Energizer 6; Estudiantes 0.

Division Three (C): Infomate 10; AC Trampi 9; Kerygma 7; Micab 6; Big Blue 0; Kaercher 0.